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2006 Nissan Maxima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Maxima years

Owner complaints for the 2006 Nissan Maxima are substantially higher than the model-year median of 99.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

512 reports with mileage · 64 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 393 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

21 crash reports4 fire reports12 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

35 reports
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77,000 miles · Sep 6, 2011
Vehicle Speed Control

MY 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS BEEN JERKING VERY BADLY, AND HAVING TROUBLE GETTING INTO GEAR. THIS HAPPENS EVERYTIME I DRIVE, SPEED UP, SLOW DOWN, AND REVERSE. SOMETIMES I CAN BARELY ACCELERATE ON THE FREEWAY. THIS HAPPENED AT AROUND 77,000 MILES, WHICH IS PAST MY WARRANTY. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT I PAID FOR, BUT OF COUR…

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MY 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS BEEN JERKING VERY BADLY, AND HAVING TROUBLE GETTING INTO GEAR. THIS HAPPENS EVERYTIME I DRIVE, SPEED UP, SLOW DOWN, AND REVERSE. SOMETIMES I CAN BARELY ACCELERATE ON THE FREEWAY. THIS HAPPENED AT AROUND 77,000 MILES, WHICH IS PAST MY WARRANTY. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT I PAID FOR, BUT OF COURSE, THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT COVERED TOTALLY, AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A $500 DEDUCTIBLE JUST TO GET IT LOOKED AT, AND MAYBE GET IT FIXED. I'VE SPOKEN TO A MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT HE HAS HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM FELLOW MAXIMA OWNERS OVER THE TRANSMISSION, I ALSO SPOKE TO A SERVICE MANAGER AT A NISSAN DEALERSHIP. HE ASKED ME WHAT CAR I HAD, AS SOON AS I TOLD HIM A MAXIMA, HE SAID "IT'S THE TRANSMISSION RIGHT? THEY ARE ALL BAD." SO IF THE NISSAN PEOPLE ACTUALLY KNOW THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION ON THE MAXIMAS, THEN WHY ARE THEY NOT RECALLING THEM? I WENT ONLINE AND SAW NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER MAXIMA OWNERS ABOUT THE SAME THING AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT FORUMS, AND CONSUMER COMPLAINT WEBSITES. WHAT IS NISSAN WAITING FOR TO FIX THIS? ARE THEY WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO GET KILLED BEFORE THEY DECIDE THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THEIR FAULTY EQUIPMENT? I HAVE TWO KIDS, AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THAT CAR, BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE. IT IS MY ONLY CAR, AND I CAN NOT AFFORD TO JUST REPLACE A TRANSMISSION EVERY 20,000 MILES. IT'S SAD, AND THE FACT THAT NISSAN KNOWS ABOUT THIS AND CHOOSES TO DO NOTHING IS TRULY PATHETIC. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10423922

86,000 miles · Mar 28, 2011
Vehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE, THE ENGINE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN RPMS. THE VEHICLE THEN RAPIDLY ACCELERATED AT FULL FORCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A SPORADIC OCCURRENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT YET CONTACTE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE, THE ENGINE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN RPMS. THE VEHICLE THEN RAPIDLY ACCELERATED AT FULL FORCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A SPORADIC OCCURRENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT YET CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,830.

NHTSA ODI #10393121

Mileage unknown · Nov 5, 2010
Unknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW AND HAVE MAINTAINED THIS VEHICLE WITH 3K MILE OIL CHANGES AND REPLACED THE TIRES. IT HAS STARTED TO MAKE JERK WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1-2 GEAR OR 2-3 AND RECENTLY THE ENGINES REVS UP TO 4RPMS BUT DOES NOT GO ANY FASTER. UNFORTUNATELY MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT FROM LOOKING AROUND OTHER BLOGS AND FORUMS…

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I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW AND HAVE MAINTAINED THIS VEHICLE WITH 3K MILE OIL CHANGES AND REPLACED THE TIRES. IT HAS STARTED TO MAKE JERK WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1-2 GEAR OR 2-3 AND RECENTLY THE ENGINES REVS UP TO 4RPMS BUT DOES NOT GO ANY FASTER. UNFORTUNATELY MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT FROM LOOKING AROUND OTHER BLOGS AND FORUMS IT LOOKS AS THIS IS QUITE A COMMON PROBLEM. THE ENGINE IS MAKING A NOISE AS IF IT IS RUNNING ON TURBO. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS NOT A RECALL THERE IS SO MANY ISSUES WITH THIS CAR ITS RIDICULOUS. THIS IS THE FIRST BRAND NEW CAR I HAVE PURCHASED AND I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW MANY ISSUES IT HAS.

NHTSA ODI #10366115

26,000 miles · Oct 7, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION 3 TIMES, EACH MORE VIOLENT THEN THE FIRST TIME, OF A NEW 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA, ONLY 26,000 MILES ON IT, THIS IS THE 3RD. TIME IT HAS HAPPENED, ON SEPT. 18, KAHULUI, MAUI. TERRIFYING, I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR AT THE STOP SIGN OF INTERSECTION, THIS WAS THE WORSE OF THE PAST TWO ACCELERATIONS THAT I HAD WITH T…

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UNINTENDED ACCELERATION 3 TIMES, EACH MORE VIOLENT THEN THE FIRST TIME, OF A NEW 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA, ONLY 26,000 MILES ON IT, THIS IS THE 3RD. TIME IT HAS HAPPENED, ON SEPT. 18, KAHULUI, MAUI. TERRIFYING, I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR AT THE STOP SIGN OF INTERSECTION, THIS WAS THE WORSE OF THE PAST TWO ACCELERATIONS THAT I HAD WITH THIS CAR. MY HUSBAND WAS WITH ME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF CAR. IT TOOK OFF LIKE A "RACE CAR" I COULD NOT BREAK IT OR STOP CAR FROM GOING. HAD TO PULL THE KEYS OUT AND PUT IN NEUTRAL, THEN REVERSE TO GET IT TO STOP.! TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, JIMFALK, THE SERVICE DEPT. COULD NOT FIND WHAT IS WRONG, KEPT CAR FOR A WEEK, DRIVING IT TO "RECREATE" THE PROBLEM, BUT IT SEEMS TO DO IT AFTER SO MANY MONTHS, NOT BACK TO BACK, SOMETHING TRIGGERS IT OFF IT SEEMS. WE ARE STUCK WITH HIS CAR NOW, IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, AS THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE FOUND. NISSAN SENT A INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR TO MAUI TO CHECK THE CAR OUT, NISSAN HEADQUARTERS IN TENNESSEE SAID IT WILL TAKE 6-8 WEEKS TO GET A ANSWER BACK TO US, MEANWHILE WE ARE STUCK NOW WITH A RENTAL CAR BILL AS OUR WARRANTY ONLYCOVERS A LOANER IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CARS TO BE "FIXED" AND SO FAR, THE PROBLEM ANNOTE BE FOUND, SO WE ARE UP THE CREEK SO TO SPEAK AND TECHNICALLY HAVE TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER "ACCELERATION" TO TAKE PLACE IN WHICH EVENT WE COULD BE KILLED. WHAT CAN WE DO? WE HAVE RIGHTS! SOME ONE MUST BE ABLE TO FIND THIS DEATH FEATURE IN OUR CAR! HELP! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10359498

6,000 miles · Aug 28, 2006
SteeringVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ON REVERSING THE VEHICLE OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE FRONT END WAS NOT CLEAR OF THE CURB. WHEN DRIVE WAS ENGAGED AND THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED, THE FRONT LEFT BOUNCED OVER THE CURB. AS THIS HAPPENED, A METALLIC BANG WAS HEARD, THEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD OUT OF CONTROL. THE STEERING WOULD …

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ON REVERSING THE VEHICLE OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE FRONT END WAS NOT CLEAR OF THE CURB. WHEN DRIVE WAS ENGAGED AND THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED, THE FRONT LEFT BOUNCED OVER THE CURB. AS THIS HAPPENED, A METALLIC BANG WAS HEARD, THEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD OUT OF CONTROL. THE STEERING WOULD NOT RESPOND AND THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER ANOTHER CURB KNOCKED DOWN A SIGN POST AND THEN ON IMPACT OF A STONE PILLAR, CAUSING ALL AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. THE WEATHER WAS DRY AND CLEAR AND THE PARKING LOT WAS ASPHALT. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN, PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS INCURRED AND THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE POLICE IMPOUND, THE CONTACTS INSURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PICTURES WERE TAKEN. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED.

NHTSA ODI #10166753

Official recalls

2

06V046000 · Suspension:rear

Feb 13, 2006

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE REAR SUBFRAME MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRACK IN A BRACKET WHICH HOLDS PART OF THE REAR SUSPENSION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE BRACKET IS CRACKED, THE STABILITY OF THE VEHICLE MAY BE AFFECTED UNDER SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR SUBFRAME TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY AND REPLACE IT, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 27, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

05V512000 · Seats:front Assembly:power Adjust

Nov 7, 2005

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE DRIVER PREFERRED PACKAGE, THE WIRE HARNESS FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT POWER LUMBAR SUPPORT SWITCH MAY BE ROUTED INCORRECTLY AND COULD BE PINCHED UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A PINCHED HARNESS, IN COMBINATION WITH DRIVING VIBRATION, MAY RESULT IN A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE HARNESS THAT COULD LEAD TO A FIRE IN THE SEAT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIRE HARNESS AND ROUTE IT CORRECTLY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 16, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.